Former Iowa Preps Named Starters for Hawkeyes Opener

Handful of Iowa natives will start Saturday’s game for Iowa vs. UAlbany

Southeast Polk senior defensive back Xavier Nwankpa watches from the sideline as his Rams offense drive the ball upfield against West Des Moines Valley on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, at Southeast Polk High School in Pleasant Hill. / Bryon Houlgrave/The Register via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The state of Iowa will be well represented inside Kinnick Stadium this Saturday when the Iowa Hawkeyes take the field to play UAlbany in the season opener.

Nine former Iowa high school football standouts were listed as starters when the official two-deep depth chart was released on Monday by the university. Another four made the second line.

On offense, Logan Jones is the lone in-state starter, as he will handle the center position. Jones is a graduate of Lewis Central.

Iowa's Defense has Been Among Nation's Best

The other eight all come on the defensive side of the ball in Max Llewellyn, Ethan Hurkett, Aaron Graves, Jaden Harrell, Karson Sharar, Jaxon Rexroth, Zach Lutmer and Xavier Nwankpa.

Llewellyn, a defensive end, and Harrell, a linebacker, are both former Urbandale standouts, as Hurkett, a defensive end, and Rexroth, a linebacker, are graduates of Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Graves is a starter at defensive end who played at Southeast Valley; Sharar is a former Iowa Falls-Alden standout at linebacker; Lutmer handles the Cash position and played at Central Lyon/George-Little Rock; and Nwankpa prepped at Southeast Polk and is at free safety.

The defense has been a strong point for the Hawkeyes, as they allowed just 17.8 points per game last season. Iowa has nine consecutive years of allowing fewer than 20 points, a mark that leads the nation.

Sitting on the second line of the depth chart are former Iowa high school preps Reece Vander Zee from Central Lyon/George-Little Rock, Kaden Wetjen of Williamsburg, Landyn Van Kekerix of Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley and Kael Kolarik of Indianola.

Iowa vs. UAlbany kicks off at 5:10 p.m. CT from Iowa City and airs live on FS1.

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